The office had one advantage over college.
People earned their own money.
The disadvantage was that they spent most of it before the month ended.
One Friday afternoon, Ganavi walked to Sudharma’s desk.
“Tomorrow free?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“How expensive the plan is.”
She thought for a moment.
“Movie.”
“One?”
She nodded.
“That sounds affordable.”
The next day they met outside Forum.
The multiplex was crowded.
Half the city seemed to have chosen the same weekend.
“What are we watching?” Sudharma asked.
“Jodha Akbar.”
He looked at the poster.
“That is three and a half hours.”
“You complain before everything.”
“It saves time.”
The hall was almost full.
By the interval, Sudharma had already finished the popcorn.
Ganavi had barely touched hers.
“You can eat,” he whispered.
“I am watching.”
“You can do both.”
She shook her head.
When the movie ended, they walked out with the crowd.
“What did you think?” she asked.
“Hrithik Roshan had too much patience.”
“With whom?”
“Everybody.”
She laughed.
They walked to Pizza Hut.
Neither of them had planned lunch, but hungry.
The waiter asked whether they wanted a regular or a medium pizza.
Both looked at the menu for longer than necessary.
Finally Ganavi said,
“You decide.”
“You wanted the movie.”
“That was easier.”
While waiting for the pizza, she looked at the display board near the entrance.
“Vantage Point.”
“What about it?”
“It starts in forty minutes.”
“You want another movie?”
“We are already here.”
“That is terrible planning.”
“I know.”
He looked at the board.
Then at her.
“All right.”
The second movie was shorter and louder.
When they came out, both of them looked equally confused.
“So?” Sudharma asked.
“I think I understood half.”
“Good.”
“You?”
“I understood a different half.”
They started laughing.
Outside, the evening crowd had filled the pavement.
People were waiting for buses.
College students stood near the signal eating ice cream.
Someone was selling pirated DVDs from a plastic sheet.
Ganavi looked at the time.
“We should leave.”
“Yes.”
Neither of them moved.
After a while she said,
“We watched two movies.”
“Yes.”
“And had lunch.”
“Yes.”
“We should not tell people in the office.”
“Why?”
“They will ask unnecessary questions.”
“That is true.”
They started walking towards the bus stop.
Halfway there, Ganavi asked,
“Do you know why I like talking to you?”
“No.”
“You answer immediately.”
“That is a compliment?”
“No.”
He looked at her.
She continued walking.
“Most people decide first and think later.”
“And me?”
“You speak first.”
“That sounds worse.”
“It is.”
He laughed.
“You still came for two movies.”
“I know.”
A bus arrived.
People rushed towards it.
Neither of them got in.
The bus left.
Ganavi watched it disappear.
“You should learn to wait sometimes.”
“For what?”
“To know whether your first answer was correct.”
He looked at the traffic for a moment.
“Too much work.”
She smiled.
“I thought so.”
When they finally decided to leave, Sudharma decided to accompany her till her PG. Goodbyes exchanged. She entered the PG and gave a smile, that seemed relishing the day.
He walked back towards the auto stand.
An auto stopped beside him.
“Yelli, sir?” (Where,Sir?)
“Gandhi Bazar” and got in.
The driver looked at him through the mirror for a moment.
“Sir… Ma’am propose madidra?” (Sir.. Did Ma’am propose to you?)
Sudharma laughed.
“Yake?” (Why?)
“You have been smiling since you got in.”
The auto joined the night traffic.
Sudharma looked out of the window.
He did not answer.
The flat was awake.
Utsav and Viraj had waited long enough.
Two beer bottles were already open.
A television channel was discussing the latest decision of the Chief Minister.
“Kumaraswamy has finished it,” Viraj said.
“What now?”
“Midnight tea fellows. No more bikes after twelve.”
Utsav shook his head.
“This state has lost direction.”
Sudharma laughed and dropped into the chair.
“How many beers?”
“You are late.”
“There were two movies.”
“We know.”
“Pizza also.”
“We know.”
Nobody asked anything else.
Viraj pushed a bottle towards him.
“So?”
“So what?”
“How was the day?”
“Good.”
“And?”
“And what?”
Sudharma opened the bottle.
“We watched two movies.”
“And?”
“Had lunch.”
“And?”
“I dropped her at the PG.”
There was a short silence.
Viraj looked at Utsav.
“Waa… Byavarsi marre.”
Utsav nodded.
The discussion moved back to politics – the government would not last. Or it would.
By the second beer they were discussing cricket.
Ganavi was forgotten.
Sudharma was still smiling.
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